Mamak

Williams Mamak is a rodent infested roadside stall with seating arrangements precariously set in a hazardous manner beside, nay, on the roadside. It’s also pretty expensive even for restaurant standards. Why do people still throng to this place like flies to…er, butter?

Well, Williams claim to fame is its unique concept of Italian food in a mamak stall. Nowhere else can you find a mamak serving Italian food – it’s exotic. It’s also located near the old LimKokWing building and you just can’t beat the ambience of having cute little rats scurrying about while you eat.

The penultimate drink in William’s Mamak is undisputedly the Ribena Lychee (RM 6). It’s a huge concoction of purple goodness that you can see on almost every table. Patrons are indulging in this 1 liter monstrosity with a fervor previously unseen to my eyes. It also sets a precedence for the rest of Williams meals – the portions of the dishes are huge!

It should be noted that Williams is a firm believer in The First Baptist Church of No Menu but the waiters possess the admirable ability to rattle off the dishes they serve in a very well rehearsed spiel. I can only hear bits and pieces – risotto, spaghetti etc. I asked for a recommendation and was given the Tuna Rice.

The Tuna Rice came in a huge portion with a hidden gem which I nearly missed due to the poor lighting conditions. Williams is also a member of the Dim Lighting Appreciation Society. The tuna fried rice is served with tuna pieces swimming in gravy on the side. I was complaining about the canned tuna to my dining companion…until I saw a HUGE fillet of grilled tuna underneath all the gravy. Delicious! The waiter overheard me and told me that’s the best part.

Huei Juin went for the Pasta with Chicken. It was repeated as “Pasta Ayam” by the waiter – I just love the fusion of our national language with Italian food. It sounds so wrong, yet so right. Heh!

It’s quite good though, it’s made with Bolognese sauce instead of Carbonara, which I usually prefer. Williams is generous with the chicken pieces and the entire dish was practically drowned in the sauce, which I’m told is how it’s done over here. I ended up eating more of this than my own. The portions were huge though and we didn’t manage to finish either one of the orders.

The bill came up to about RM 64 for two – not exactly cheap for a mamak. This is my second visit – the first time was with Yee Hou and I went again last night with Huei Juin.

The litmus test: Would I go again? Definitely! Despite of the dodgy hygiene standards, I am intrigued by the constantly updated menu items and the concept of an Italian mamak in Malaysia. There are a lot of interesting dishes I have yet to try and I can’t wait to go again.